Biogenic Fabrication of Au@CeO2 Nanocomposite with Enhanced Visible Light Activity

This study reports a biogenic approach to the synthesis of Au@CeO2 nanocomposite using electrochemically active biofilms (EABs) in water under normal pressure and 30 degrees C. This work presents the results of extensive morphological, structural, optical, visible light photoelectrochemical and photo-catalytic studies of Au@CeO2 nanocomposite. The presence of a large number of interfaces between Au nanoparticles and CeO2 for charge transfer is believed to play a key role in enhancing the optical and visible light photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic performance of Au@CeO2 nanocomposite. The enhanced visible light degradation of methyl orange and methylene blue by Au@CeO2 nanocomposite was much higher than that by pure CeO2. The reusability, stability, and other results suggests that the Au@CeO2 nanocomposite could be exploited as potential candidates for visible light photocatalysis, photovoltaic, and photoelectrochemical devices.